The present invention relates to a display board or panel, e.g., a wall panel attached to a surface or free standing, and in particular, to a display board or panel having multiple means for securing items to be displayed thereon. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a display board or panel having the capability of securing notes, memos and bulletins, etc., for example, by conventional tacks and pins, by magnetic means, and by tape or other fastening means and which also provides and retains a neat, ornamental, unblemished appearance.
Various types of bulletin or display boards or panels and devices are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,223, to Krapf, discloses a magnetic display panel which is made of a light, generally rigid cardboard or foamed cork core with laminations of non-perforated steel foil arranged thereon, over which paper sheets are secured to cover the outer surfaces of the steel foil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,976, to Zambiasi, discloses a magnetic board for programming and statistical purposes. Each panel of the board consists of a metal sheet, wherein a grating is defined by two pluralities of equidistantly spaced parallel grooves. Magnetic signalling elements can be inserted into the grooves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,723, to Tate, discloses a color changeable fabric wherein hollow strands of the fabric contain a liquid in which color coded micromagnets are dispersed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,601, to Burnett, discloses a magnetic slate wherein erasable symbols may be made by use of a magnet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,276, to Payne, discloses a bistable visual display device having a transparent front panel and a core honeycombed by an array of transversely extending non-intercommunicating duct-like cells partially filled with magnetic powder. To write on the board, it is tilted in an upright position and a magnetic stylus is drawn across its transparent front panel whereupon powder is shifted to the visible front portion of the cells along the path of the stylus.
A type of display board having a tack penetrable surface with limited magnetic capability is also known. In this known bulletin board, a tack permeable core is covered by a vinyl or paper covering between which is sandwiched a ferrous mesh. Glue is applied over the entire permeable core surface enabling the ferrous mesh and vinyl or paper covering to adhere to the base permeable core. The problem and limitation with this design is that the vinyl or paper and glue covering substantially reduces the magnetic attraction of a magnet to the glue covered ferrous mesh thereby minimizing its effectiveness, the resistance of the surface to insertion and application of tacks is increased, and furthermore, the esthetic outer surface appearance of the display board is not retained, the vinyl or paper surface being visibly damaged with each use requiring repeated resurfacing and reglueing to maintain an unsoiled appearance. This type of bulletin board or tack board is shown in Greensteel brochure 10100/GRD.